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In a new paper for the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), I take on the claim that a carbon tax could produce a “win-win” outcome of reduced climate change damage coupled with stronger conventional economic growth. In both the United States

Long-time readers of this blog know that I have been very critical of “market monetarism,” especially in the hands of Scott Sumner–undoubtedly the school’s leading economist-blogger. In the present post, I don’t want to talk about the effects of his

The financial television channel CNBC has hit hard times. Nielsen ratings show the network’s viewership is at a 21 year low. This is a far cry from two decades ago. The dot-com bubble of the late 90s and early aughts

Join us for our opening reception of the International Conference of Prices and Markets 2014 at Paupers Pub located at 539 Bloor Street W, Toronto ON this Friday, November 7th, at 6PM! Hosted by the Ludwig von Mises Institute of

Canada’s top central banker, Stephen Poloz, has sparked some controversy by suggesting that unemployed youths should offer to work for free (gasp!). When I bump into youths, they ask me, you know, ‘What am I supposed to do in a

A recent CBC report exposes that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians often pay at least twice as much for dairy than Ontarians. Indeed, milk consumers in Windsor can often expect to pay around 91 cents per litre, while it’s been reported in

(Read part I here.) Money printing does generate tremendous income for Wall Street “fat cats”. Such income, however, is more than off-set by the loss of working people. Money printing is thus the most vicious redistribution of wealth. It has

Dear Chairwoman Yellen, This is an open letter urging you to stop money printing immediately. It has created worse economic inequality and tremendously hindered the economic recovery from the longest recession in history. You have said that you are extremely

The housing boom is searching for ways to keep going. Prices for many high-end pieces of real estate are now out of reach for even the 1% of the super-wealthy. During the last housing boom, terms were reset for the

Patrick Barron: The End of the US Dollar Imperium, Part 2 Jeff Deist and Patrick Barron continue their discussion on monetary imperialism. They delve deeper into US dollar supremacy, and how it might end with a whimper instead of a

Click below to hear my latest interview on Power Trading Radio. I discuss in more detail the various movements in Europe that I view as economically positive in the long run. The interview last approximately one half hour with two

Evolution is one of the most cherished doctrines of the worshippers of science. Whenever we hear the angry shouts of settled science, it is either in reference to climate change or evolution. Anyone who dares question these theories is treated

For the last decade (or more), Canadians have been ebullient about their home-grown housing boom. Home prices in Toronto have grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. New homeowners have rushed in to take advantage of what seems

Here we go again. A plunge in oil prices has spurred a bevy of articles from the bought-and-paid-for media, as well as quasi-governmental agencies, alerting us of pending disaster if deflation were allowed to make an entrance, however briefly. Never

The Federal Reserve has finally ended its quantitative easing programs. Since the financial crisis of 2008, the Fed has pursued what seemed like an endless policy of asset purchases. As recently as September 2008 the monetary base in the US

Six years after the financial crisis rocked the world economy, it’s a safe bet to say the Federal Reserve will never take responsibility for the debacle. And why should it? To both mainstream pundits and academics, the Fed saved the

One lesson from the United States’ Obamacare debacle has been that if Congress can’t get its way through regulation, it can always resort to taxes. At least that’s the Supreme Court’s view, after it declared the Affordable Care Act constitutional

Is New York City’s Proposed Ban on the Use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits for Purchases of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Effective Policy? Larissa Flister In 2011, New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg proposed a ban on using Supplemental Nutrition

In a previous post, I explained why Ludwig von Mises was so adamant that money doesn’t “measure” value, in the way that a ruler measures length or a scale measures weight. But I could tell from the discussion on my

Play video Jeff Deist and Patrick Barron address the issue of monetary imperialism. How does the US use the dollar as a weapon of economic and cultural power? How long can it last? What might the unprecedented… 00:17:01 Added on